Vehicle-axle



(No Model.) I C. P. MILBURN.

VEHICLE AXLE.

No. 407,541. Patented July 23, 1889.

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UNITED STATES CHARLES F. MILBURN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

VEHICLE-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,541, dated July 23, 1889.

Application filed March 22, 1889. Serial NOI 304,250. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. MILBURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self Lubricating Axles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of self-lubricating axles which are constructed usually of metal tubes or pipes with integral hollow spindles to provide a lubricant-chamber, said spindle being perforated to provide ports for the escape of the lubricant, and having secured within the hollow of the spindle near the shoulder of the axle a dam to prevent the escape of the lubricant into the hollow of the axle-body.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved dam which may be secured within the hollow of the spindle in such manner as to avoid rigid contact therewith, whereby bending of the axle over the dam shall be avoided and which shall be simple and economical in construction and convenient to apply.

In my application, Serial No. 288,696, filed October 20, 1888, I have set out fully the objection to a rigid unyielding dam, and have described and claimed therein, broadly, a dam so constructed as to avoid rigid contact with the axle, the preferred form of dam described in said application being one made of a flexible or yielding material which, when in place, shall bear against the interior walls of the axle, and by the resiliency-of the metal effect its securement within the axle, but yielding readily with the vibrations of the latter to avoid bending, &c.

The improvement hereinafter described consists in making the dam of slightly less diameter than the bore of the spindle, the dam being provided with integral lugs, ribs, or similar devices, which, when the dam is driven to place in the spindle while the latter is hot, embed themselves in the walls of the axle and secure the dam in place with a slight clearance between it and the axle, except at the points of contact of the lugs.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown my invention in the most approved form.

Figure 1 is abottoin plan View of the axle, particularly intended to show the ports or perforations for the escape of the lubricant. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the axle partly broken away, with the dam secured therein, the latter showing in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dam, and Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking into the hollow of the dam.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the axle-body, a a the collars thereof, and B B the spindles constructed integrally of a tube of wrought metal. The spindles have the usual perforations, as indicated by b, to provide ports for the passage of the lubricant to the boxes.

O represents the dam, which is preferably constructed of cast metal, cup-shaped in form, with tapered walls and of slightly less diameter at its large end than the diameter of the hollow of the spindle. On the periphery of the dam are provided integral lugs or ribs 0, the form of which may be varied at will. I prefer to employ three of these lugs and to have them disposed longitudinally of the dam and equidistant upon its periphery.

In securing the dam it is inserted cold within the hollow of the spindle, while the latter is heated, and then when the spindle cools and in consequence shrinks the lugs will embed themselves in the wall of the spindle and thus secure the dam against endwise movement. The lugs need only project a slight distance vertically from the walls of the dam, as only slight engagement is necessary to prevent movement. When thus secured, there is a slight clearance between the body of the dam and the wall of the spindle, so that the danger of bending or breaking the spindle over the dam is averted, while only a small quantity of the lubricant can escape. Another feature of this construction, which is desirable and an improvement upon the methods in common use, is that of making the dam slightly conical in form, whereby only a small portion of it could be brought into contact with the dam should the strain on the axle be so great as to crush the lugs, and in such event the dam would be crushed, being of the more frangible material. The dam may have its walls corrugated or convoluted to provide the retaining-lugs, or said walls may be turned or flanged out at the opening and the flange interrupted by cut-away portions, the remaining portions forming the retaininglugs, or the walls may be slit longitudinally, the angular edges of the' slits forming the lugs. In all of these modified forms the substance of this invention is contained-viz the provision of a dam with self-securing lugs or equivalent devices constructed integrally with the damn.

I claim 1. In combination with a hollow axle to provide a lubricant-chamber and having suitable perforations to permit the escape of the lubricant, a dam provided with integral retaininglugs projecting radially from its body, whereby to secure the dam within the hollow of the axle, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a hollow axle to provide a lubricant-chamber and havingsuitable perforations to permit the escape of the lubricant, a dam having tapered peripheral walls provided with integral retaininglugs projecting radially from its body, whereby to secure the dam within the hollow of the axle, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a hollow axle to provide a lubricant-chaniber and having suitable perforations to permit the escape of the lubricant a dam of smaller diameter than the hollow of the axle and having projections adapted 30 to engage the walls of the axle, substantially as described CHARLES 1*. MILBURN. \Vitnesses:

S. \V. SKINNER, J r., 11. K. QUINE. 

